I am posting in response to a comment in a previous post re: a question about the above panel-
"I find it tough to draw a scene like that, period. But, when I do it can often appear rather static like its set in a jell mold."
"Any tips?"
OK, good question.
First off, I will say that this panel wasn't 100% successful as I didn't get the sense of the environment/scene setting that I was trying for - and - this panel asked for a lot of details and as this was the last page of the issue on a tight deadline, I took a # of shortcuts to get it done.
Process-
1. Storytelling - know what information you need to put in the picture to make it clear to the reader what is happening in the panel/story - sounds boring but if this step fails the rest is "just putting lipstick on a pig".
2. Now to make it interesting and explosive use a variety of shapes, sizes, textures, - basic composition - but use composition to help you out and to make the picture interesting and provide depth. I tilted the horizon line to make the reader feel off kilter as everything in the picture is. One last thing I did was make all the objects/characters explode out from where the vehicle entered the scene like explosions lines.
3.Ground in reality - use perspective to pull all those things into the same scene. Also, use overlapping shapes to provide depth of field (and secondary perspective). Finally, use blacks to give depth, for overall design and to lead the eye where you want it -in this case the vehicle exploding into panel
After the piece was inked, I went back in and added little details and blacks to help push the panel like I conceived it in my head. I like being able to do this with all my art.
TD
OK, the continuing adventures of the X-Men cover.
Ok, as this issue hasn't shipped yet, I can't really say too much about the how's and why's of the concept for the piece but based off what I was told to do on the cover this image popped into my head and I only sent in the one sketch, colored up ( I actually prefer to send in as few sketches as possible, because it almost always seems that the weakest idea is picked - so I like to go with my idea/s). The sketch was done in my sketchbook at 4 x 6 inches with Col-Erase Light blue pencil, Staedtler HB lead, and a Pitt Black artist pen sizes S and B. This is actually pretty big for a cover sketch for me, I average about 1.75 x 2.75 inches for a cover sketch - so I can focus solely on the composition and not get caught up in the detail of the image itself - that's what makes it fun to draw the actual cover and not just a boring tracing job.
Here's my pencils and Rachel's inks for this cover - original art is 13" x 19".
Here's the solicited version of the cover to X-Men Legacy 226 featuring Rogue (yeah!), Gambit and Danger (huh?!). This is only about halfway done colorwise as it needs lots more polishing and the SFX are cheesy. I will have a fairly thorough step by step for this cover from the sketch stage all the way to the final printed version.
So this is a good example of how I work - rough in page, establish perspectives and then draw figures so I stay loose and the figures have life. Finish off by double check reference for details such as tattoo equipment and backgrounds. As is par for the course, I found really good tattoo shop ref AFTER I completed page!
Here's a close up preview of an upcoming cover. I'm still working on the colors for the final piece but this will the "solicited" version.
Something a little different for the weekend.
I am posting in response to a comment in a previous post re: a question about the above panel-
Here's Rachel's inks. I opted to do as little as possible to Emma's "diamond" flesh and I think it turned out well - especially once it was colored.
So I made Colossus the correct # of heads tall and voila. The final thing I did was to add the dramatic double lighting to Colossus to really add some depth and power (as Emma is in diamond form and white costume to set off against).
So I was fairly happy with how the movements and posing of the figures turned out but something was bugging me on Colossus - turned out his proportions were a little off - which I corrected for the final. And, this was the final page of the issue and it was important to have this image read really strong.
So here's the whole but no quite finished full version as there are number of coloring tweaks and effects I need to do still.
Here's a little sneak peek at an upcoming cover I did that will have a fairly thorough step by step from design to pencils to inks to colors featuring "The All New All Deadly Dark X-Men".
